Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-01


of Hospitality "A Slight OF Which
Nothing was Said at the Time OF It's
Occurrence.
When Gen. and Mrs Grant arrived they
passed first into large ante-chamber in
which the Prince OF Wales happened to be
playing with his two boys. The other guests
hssz s.o5 arrived, and the prince may not have
expected to be in this hall when Gen. Grant
came in; or he may possibly have planned
thc accidental reception. He came forward
at once, like any other gentleman in his own
house, and gave his hand to Gen. Grant, who
presented Mrs Grant, and mentioned my
name, which the prince had known before
. Then the prince called up his sons, lads at
that time of 10 or II, and said he wished
them to know Gen Grant. He was extreme
ly genial and affable After this he discp-
peared through side door, and an equerry
ushered the party into a long waiting room.
We remained nearly half an hour.
The dinner party was large; l should think
there were thirty people present, including
several dukes and duchesses and other nobili-
tyssHe Brazilian minister and his wife were
askai doubtless out of compliment to the
emperor, for whom the dinner was given.
After while a gentleman in waiting ap-
peared and said the princess desired that tho
ladies should arrange themselves on one side
of the room and the men on the other, so
Gen and Mrs. Grant took their places four
or five from the head of the line. After
apparently ten minutes further waiting in
this position, all standing, for no one had
been seated or been asked to sit since we
entered, the great doors at the top Of the line
on the right were thrown open and the
empress of Brazil came in on the arm Of the
Prince of Wales. Next came the princess
with the emperor They passed directly
between the two lines to the dining room,
which was opposite the apartment from
witch they entered; the empress of Brazil,
boneyer, had known Mrs. Grant in America
when the ladies had each been the wife of q
great ruler, and she stopped short when she
came to Mrs. Grant and greeted her, but tho
other royal and imperial personages, includ-
ing the hostess, passed in without recogniz-
ing anybody Then a number of dukes and
lesser mobiles were told off to their partners
ard followed the empress and the prince.
After every noble person present was thus
assigned Gen. Grant was requested to go in
with Mrs. Pierrepont, and Mrs. Grant with
the Brazilian minister, whom the emperor of
, Brazil looked upon as his servant
PRECEDENCE OF DUKES
The British government had agreed with
~ Pierrepont that the ex-president Of the
United States should have precedence Of
dukes, but the Prince of Wales deliberately
put him as nearly as possible to the foot of
the table There was no English person Of
noble rank who followed Gen Grant. He sat
within three or four feet of the comptroller
of the household, who was at the extreme
foot; the prince and princess were at the
middle with the emperor and empress. The
Duke of Cambridge, the Duke and Duchess
of Manchester, the Earl and Countess Of
Derby, the Earl of Dudley, were all placed
higher than Gen. Grant When the ladies
left the table every one rose, Of course. and
the empress and princess passed out, and Mrs.
Grant was left to find her way like any other
person of insignificance. Then the Prince OF
Wales changed his own seat, according to the
-ss2nglish custom, and took that by the side of
Ne emperor " hich the princess had vacated.
In a moment or two he sent an equerry or
footman. forget which, to ask Gen. Grant
to sit by the other side of him in his new
place. and Gen Grant left his seat and walked
around the table and accepted this high honor,
lust as any other private gentleman might
have done The prince then was very gracious
in his talk and manner.
After a while the gentlemen rejoined the
ladies in the order i'll which they had come
in, the dukes and earls taking care to assert
their rights of precedence. In one of the
drawing rooms there was music; here the
princess and the empress sat apart and list
ened or talked, and the emperor remained
5-rA ear them Neither General nor Mrs. Grant
Swsls invited to join this select company. The
prince came out of it once or twice and
talked with some of his guests, among others
with Gen Grant; but he said no word to Mrs.
Grant. and neither the general nor Mrs.
Grant was presented to the princely hostess.
The prince presented Gen. Grant to the Earl
of Dudley one of the worst bred men IN any
company in any country; and bis lordship
was worthy of his reputation on this occa-
sion for he almost turned on his heel lie
did not offer his hand, but simply acknowl-
edged his princes Introduction with slight
bow. almost nod, and not one word, and
left the group. 1t was by far the most
marked impertinence Gen Grant had re-
ceived in sixteen years.
THE PRINCESS LEAVE.
When the empress had heard enough Of the
music she and the princess arose and bowed
TO the company Everybody else made pro
found salaams, and the whole imperial and
royal party disappeared and dd not return.
Mrs. Grant now desired also to leave, but the
ladies in waiting assured her that the prln-
cess would return. They appeared To appre-
ciate the behavior of their mistress and IL
think it could not possibly be carried further
Mrs Grant. therefore, delayed four or five
minutes longer. Then finding that her hosts
had no idea OF continuing their hospitality,
she took Gen. Grants arm and retired.
followed them. After we had reached the
ante room and were moving toward the
cloaking rooms one of the courtierS came up
and said that the princess desired TO bid Mrs
St1rant good night. Accordingly, we delayed
in the ante-room till the prince and princes
came out. The royal hosts smiled graclouSiy
bowed and courteSied gracefully, and wished
their democratic guests good night, ana thai
). was the end Of Gen Grants dinner with lht
Prince OF Wales.
..-;,,oo ,rcbably did not wish to TX